Literacy
by 24601lvr
Summary: "Hey, Dave? What do you look for, y'know, in a girl?" "Literacy, I suppose."


The boys were sitting out on the dusty fire escape, as they were apt to do when they wanted to talk alone, which was happening more and more often as of late. The blonde sat near the edge, dangling his feet above the bustling of the New Yorkers below them. The brunette, however, was afraid to fall, so he sat leaned back against the windowsill. They sat for a while in comfortable silence, and then the blonde broke it, as he always did.

"Hey, Dave, what do you... uh… look for? Y'know, in a girl?" David stiffened. He hadn't expected this. He wanted to just scream out, _not a girl, Jack Kelly, just you!_ But he wasn't brave enough, far from it in fact.

"Literacy, I suppose." That made Jack smile.

"Only you, Dave." He chuckled lightly to himself, lighting a cigarette and taking a slow drag.

"Only I what?" David was suddenly more attentive.

"Only you would pick literacy as _the_ thing you look for in a broad."

"Well… I didn't say that it was the _only_ thing. It's definitely a contributing factor. I should be able to have intelligent conversation with someone that I love. "_Someone named Jack Kelly_. Jack smirked at him.

"So, what's the other stuff that David Jacobs looks for in his ideal woman, his soul mate?" Jack feigned a dramatic swoon, making David laugh.

"I suppose a sense of humor would be nice, and I think that someone must be hardworking with a sense of family, you know." Jack was nodding, but it almost seemed like he was trying to hurry David along.

"Yeah, Davey, that's all fine and stuff, but what about… physicality?" David turned. For one thing, he didn't know that Jack knew words as long as 'physicality,' and for another thing, this wasn't something he particularly wanted to discuss in front of Jack. He decided to try however, if only to keep his cover.

"I'm, uh, kind of a sucker for blondes." Jack grinned, clapping David on the back.

"Blondes, huh?" David nodded.

"But I really do want to find someone I can just sit down and discuss Shakespeare with." Jack furrowed his brow.

"What's Shakespeare?" David gave him a wan smile.

"Not a 'what,' Jack, a who. A very famous playwright—he wrote around forty plays, several poems and sonnets- Jack, this man has changed modern literature for the better. He lived around 200 years ago, and his works are still relevant to the people of today! It's—I find him amazing, I idolize the man." Jack stared at David, who realized that he had been rambling.

"Sorry, I just… I love literature so much. I think that's part of the reason that I wanted to be a newsie in the first place. You know I want to be a reporter when I grow up." Jack smiled at him and scooted back to sit with him by the windowsill. He casually draped an arm across David's shoulders, just as he had done hundreds of times, but it felt different this time.

"Yeah, I know Dave. Just like Denton… but somethin' tells me you didn't always wanna do that." David started. How could Jack have known that?

"I… I originally wanted to be a poet. Like Shakespeare. I talked to my father about it, and he… basically told me that it wasn't going to happen, that I should just give up." Jack started rubbing his shoulder up and down. It was a small action, but it reassured him immensely.

"You wanna maybe recite one of them poems for me? I ain't never heard any of 'em, but I'd like to." David smiled slightly.

"Well, all right. This one's by Shakespeare. It's a short verse—not the whole thing- that he supposedly wrote," he looked around, checking to make sure none of his family members were listening in, "for another man." Jack's eyes widened. He cleared his throat. Jack scooted closer to him, listening intently.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day,

Thou art more lovely and more temperate,

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date." Jack let out a low whistle.

"That was… wow… What did that mean?" Jack smiled sheepishly, as though embarrassed to admit that he didn't understand the sonnet.

"Well, what Shakespeare is trying to say about… whoever… is that he thinks that they're more beautiful than a summer's day, and more lasting." Jack's smile widened.

"I like that Dave. Did you write stuff like that?" David chuckled and shook his head.

"Jack, that's Shakespeare. I'm nowhere near as good as him, and I don't think I ever will be." Jack swatted the air with his hand, brushing this statement off as though it were nothing.

"Davey, you keep talkin' about this Shakespeare guy, and I guess his stuff was okay, but I wanna hear somethin' you wrote. I'd rather hear a poem that _you _wrote."

"Um… okay. This one's actually pretty recent." He coughed lightly. Jack patted him reassuringly on the shoulder.

"When I see you smile,

The tears roll down my face,

I can't replace,

And now that I'm stronger I've figured out.

How this world turns cold,

And breaks through my soul,

And I know, I'll find deep inside me,

I can be the one.

I will never let you fall,

I'll stand up with you forever,

I'll be there for you through it all,

Even if saving you sends me to heaven." Jack grinned.

"Pretty recent, huh? You dog! Do I know her? She a blonde?" David grimaced. This was what he'd been hoping to avoid.

"Uh… _she's_ not a blonde, no. But him…" Jack gaped at him.

"Oh. OH! Heh, well, that's somethin' Dave." He looked down at his arm, still around David's shoulders, and jerked it away as though he had accidentally touched something repulsive. "You can go, if you want to Jack. I know it's not something to be proud of, but it is what it is. I didn't mean for it to happen." He had given up his casual pretense, and was now simply pleading with Jack, trying by sheer force of will to _make_ him understand. Jack shook his head, climbing down the fire escape steps without another word. David leaned forward, head in hands. He had feared that this would happen. He allowed himself to cry finally, to break down.

"So he's a blonde, huh?" David started, and almost fell down a step. Standing there, wringing that filthy bandana in his hands, was Jack Kelly. David smiled, as much as one can when crying, and nodded a little bit. Jack seemed to finally notice that David was crying, and his eyes widened considerably, then filled with sadness.

"Jesus, Dave. I didn't never—ever, sorry. Point is, I—" David let out a watery chuckle.

"Jack, did you just correct your grammar in an attempt to cheer me up?" Jack grinned, sticking out his hand. David took it, expecting a shake, but was again surprised when Jack used it to pull him into a hug.

"I don't understand, Jack. You—you looked as though you were repulsed by me." Jack pulled back from the hug, looking David squarely in the face. He looked fierce.

"Davey, it ain't—isn't possible for me to be repulsed by you." Now David truly was confused.

"Then why did you leave?" Jack got pale, and then did something David never expected, not in a million years. Hands still on David's shoulders, he pulled him forward and smashed their lips together. David froze, eyes wide, and before he could respond in any way, Jack pulled back.

"I'm not blonde. And I sure as hell ain't literate enough for ya Dave. But… I wanted you to know… um…" He looked at something behind David's head, seemingly seeking reassurance. David supposed he must have found it, because he began again.

"So long as men can live, or eyes to see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." David simply gaped at him.

"Those are the last two lines of the sonnet. How did you…?" Jack released his grip on David's shoulders, starting to walk away.

"I was just tryin' to deserve you, Dave. Whoever this guy is, I hope you guys are happy together." Before he could get out of range, David grabbed his arm, causing Jack to unintentionally whip around and bump heads with him. He paid no attention to Jack's confused, slightly angry eyes and just went for it. He kissed Jack Kelly. And Jack Kelly kissed him back. When their need for oxygen finally did demand that they separate, Jack looked at him, still confused. David grinned at him.

"In the sunlight, your hair turns gold."


End file.
